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File
Security Part II Last month we discussed the fact that deleting a file does not actually get rid of it and we talked about some measures you can take to make the deleted file difficult to recover. This month I will cover real security.
Because laptops by their very nature (i.e. light weight and easily stolen) pose a serious security threat, new laptop computers come equipped with features that allow the owner to lock it up tight. There are passwords you can setup and must be entered before the computer even boots up. Loose the User or Admin password and your computer becomes a paper weight or door stop. A Disk password, if set, must be entered before the drive can be accessed. This is true even if the drive is taken from the laptop and put into another computer. This will protect any data on the hard drive. With enough time and money these features can be circumvented but they will certainly deter the casual thief.
Moving on to serious security features. Jetico (www.jetico.com) is a Finland based company that makes a utility called BestCrypt. It is encryption software for computers. With BestCrypt you create a container file of any size you choose as long as it is not larger than the hard drive you are putting it on. Once the container file is created you access it with a password, the container file will then be visible as regular disks with corresponding drive letters (e.g. K:, Z:). When you are done working with your data the drive is closed. When it is closed, it cannot be accessed. This also means that deleted files are not accessible, so it is not necessary to "wipe" them. The container is a file, so it is possible to backup a container, move or copy it to other disk (CD/DVD, network, etc) and continue to access your encrypted data using BestCrypt. As an additional benefit, BestCrypt comes with a program called BCWipe that will erase all unused (un flagged) areas of your disk.
A second company, SecurStar, www.securstar.com/home.php is a Germany based company that offers similar applications.
Both web sites mentioned above are well worth looking at for in-depth information on data security.
Be warned about two things, 1) your data is only as secure as your password. Your password should be a minimum of eight characters (longer is better) and a mixture of letters, numbers and punctuation marks. 2) if you forget your password, you have lost your data.
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